[Podcast] 3 Secrets to Sustainable Agency Growth

    CQ

    Corey Quinn

    Founder, Deep Specialization™

    From 2 to 100+ Employees: Lessons from Jacob Baadsgaard

    "Get clear on your 'why,' because there is no amount of growth that will ever satisfy if you do not have a strong 'why' behind everything that you do." -  Jacob Baadsgaard

    In this episode of The Deep Specialization™ Podcast, Corey interviews Jacob Baadsgaard, Founder & CEO of Disruptive Advertising about his journey growing an agency from two people in a basement to over 100 employees. Jake shares insights on scaling an agency, the importance of knowing your "why," and his new venture, Disruptive University.

    Takeaways for Agency Owners:

    • Niche down to scale up: Solve a specific problem exceptionally well rather than being a generalist.

    • Strategically reduce clients: Jake went from 650 to 200 clients while maintaining revenue by focusing on higher-value relationships.

    • Expand services carefully: New service lines create more complexity than anticipated - prepare systems first.

    • Hire trainable salespeople: Hungry junior reps who can adopt your methodology often outperform industry veterans.

    • Elevate account managers: Train them to be strategic partners who understand business objectives, not just channel metrics.

    • Create vertical-specific playbooks: Industry focus helps you anticipate challenges and provide more strategic guidance.

    • Define your agency's "why": Clarify your purpose beyond profit to attract the right clients and retain top talent.

    • Only work with clients you believe in: Selective client criteria improves team morale, results, and sustainability.

    If you're ready to scale your agency with confidence, don’t miss this episode!

    🎧 Listen to the episode now:

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    Best,

    CQ

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    About Corey Quinn

    Founder, Deep Specialization™

    Corey helps founder-led agencies scale through Deep Specialization™ and programmatic M&A. Former CMO of Scorpion ($20M to $200M). Author of "Anyone, Not Everyone."

    “Is this a good fit for my agency?”

    I partner with founders who want to build something meaningful, not just a busier agency, but a stronger, more scalable business.

    You’re likely a strong fit if:

    • You’re generating $1M–$20M+ annually
    • You want to lead your market, not blend into it
    • You’re thinking about long-term scale, not short-term tactics
    • You want a growth engine that doesn’t rely on you
    • You value clarity over complexity
    • You’re open to advanced growth levers, including acquisitions
    Anyone Not Everyone Book Cover

    Escape Founder-Led Sales With My Free Book

    My bestselling book Anyone Not Everyone reveals the positioning and outbound system that helps founder-led agencies create predictable, scalable growth.

    Endorsed by Aaron Ross, Alan Dibb, Dr. Benjamin Hardy, and many other top thinkers in the agency world.

    ★★★★★
    Over 100 5-star Amazon reviews